Kodak enters the world of smartphones

It may be known throughout the world for its cameras and printing, but Kodak can add another string to its bow following the revelation of its brand new smartphone.

The first Android-based smartphone device from the company, the Kodak IM5 was launched at the first day of the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas today (Tuesday January 6th). It will be available in Europe to begin with before going global and will cost approximately £235.

Interestingly enough, the device wasn’t actually manufactured or designed by Kodak, but instead by the British company Bullitt Group. This perhaps isn’t so surprising given that until now Kodak has produced cameras rather than mobile phones, whereas Bullitt Group has had success with Cat and JCB mobiles.

One specification which we are all undoubtedly excited about is how well the camera will perform on the Kodak IM5. With a 13 megapixel rear camera and flash, things are looking pretty promising, although we wouldn’t expect anything less from some of the leaders in photography.

There is also a front-facing 5 megapixel camera for those who love nothing more than taking a good selfie. We aren’t sure yet if there will be any filters offered with the cameras, but only time will tell!

Storage-wise we are looking at 8GB with the option to add a microSD card of up to 32GB and the screen will be a 5 inch HD offering running on Android 4.4 KitKat OS.

Speaking about the partnership back in December 2014, Oliver Schlute, chief executive officer for Bullitt Mobile said: “Kodak is one of the world’s most recognisable brands. It is trusted by consumers as a marque of quality and innovation. We’ve taken that heritage and used it to inspire a range of beautifully designed devices that will let users take great pictures and edit, share, store and print them in an instant.”